Technical Advisory Committee Fortieth Meeting, 22 June - 2 July 1986: Report of the Meeting

Report of TAC 40 held at CIAT in Cali, Colombia, June 22 - July 2, 1986, Chairman Guy Camus presiding. TAC considered the EPR and EMR of ILCA. Because ILCA's Board and Management had failed to agree on a long term strategy, TAC decided to issue an interim commentary to the CGIAR and retain the EPR on its agenda until June 1987 when the strategy was due to be completed. Negotiations with WARDA initiated at the CGIAR Mid Term meeting were continuing. TAC therefore heard but did not discuss the recommendations of the Interim Review of WARDA. Instead, it made recommendations to IDRC, as requested, on criteria for an effective rice research program for West Africa.TAC discussed a number of points raised by the CGIAR Executive Secretary on follow up of the external review of IBPGR, and agreed that it was necessary to clarify responsibilities for genetic resources conservation among IBPGR, the centers, and TAC. An oral progress report by Vernon Ruttan on his study of the CGIAR review process was discussed. TAC decided to proceed with reviews of IRRI and CIMMYT before completion of changes in the process.After reviewing center proposed programs and budgets for 1987, TAC approved a program calling for net funding of $196 million. TAC discussed the new p&b review procedure jointly with the center directors and decided to make a trial run in 1987 with the 1988 proposals of six centers.TAC heard a report from IFDC on the fertilizer situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, and a preliminary report on the farming systems workshop. The TAC chairman presented a list of follow-up activities to the priorities statement. After a discussion in which center directors participated, TAC set up a small Standing Committee to advise its Chairman on priorities with subcommittees on specific matters. TAC gave the King Baudouin award to IITA for work on maize streak virus